Third Time's a Charm: Pearline Attempts a Full Classic Trilogy Baldur's Gate Run

JustKneller · Mar 24, 2024

Table of Contents

Episode Zero: Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady
Episode One: Be Careful What You Wish For
Episode Two: The Road Less Traveled
Episode Three: Just Passing Through
Episode Four: A New Hope
Episode Five: Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
Episode Six: Into the Wild
Episode Seven: Once More Unto the Breach
Episode Eight: Big Bad Evil Guys
Episode Nine: Just When I Thought I Was Out

JustKneller · Mar 24, 2024

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Episode Zero: Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady

Maven the Craven ran out of steam. And, between party acrobatics, a really nasty fight on Ice Island, and ultimately getting bricked out of Durlag's Tower, the run of Beatrix the Pure came to a premature end. But, hey, the third time's a charm, right? If this one flames out, though, I'll probably stop posting LPs so I'm not clogging the forums with failed ones.

This time around, I'm doing things a little differently with party dynamics. I'll still be using the canon party, but I've since discovered that Imoen's BG2 sheet is wrong and she should only be a level 6 thief, at least according to her starting thief skills. So, I'll be dualing her as such in BG 1 and correcting her sheet in BG2 with Shadowkeeper (once I rescue her).

I'm playing Classic, not EE. I don't have SCS or any other tactics mods installed. I am playing with the fixpacks and Unfinished Business for both games. I'll be using Shadowkeeper in BG2 to adjust Jaheira and Minsc's proficiencies and HP to what they have at the end BG1. I might change Minsc's racial enemy in BG2. I get taking him off gnolls since there are next to none in the second game. However, I also feel like vampires are a bit of a powergaming move considering the opposition. But if we look at the character's personality, there's nothing Minsc hates more than EVIL, so I might switch it out to demonic/fell.

BG1 has proficiency categories instead of particular weapons. However, I'll be playing the characters in BG1 as what their proficiencies will translate to in BG2. So, Jaheira (and Gorion's Ward) has blunt weapons but they both will only use staves, Minsc has Large Swords, but will only use two-handed swords, and so on.

And who is our intrepid hero?

Candlekeep was never a good fit for Pearline. She found the walls to be stifling and would often gaze upon the vast world beyond from the battlements. It was during these times she would wonder about her origins. She only knew her mother was a wild elf, and friend of Gorion, before she died. She knew nothing of her father, except that he was obviously some human. Pearline once asked Gorion if her parents loved each other and the mere question made him uncomfortable. Did her father take her mother against her will? It was known to happen between humans and wild elves. Just one more reason not to trust humans, Pearline supposed.

Aside from Imoen, one of the few humans she did trust, Pearline had no friends. Those who were not outright rude were patronizing at best. Her relationship with her foster father was often fraught. She respected Gorion and was grateful the sage took her in. However, why they would settle in Candlekeep, of all places, defied reason for Pearline. This only fueled the mischief in which she would engage with Imoen. It also rendered her mostly apathetic in her studies. In fact, the only book she had ever read cover to cover, and she had read it many times, was In the Shadow of the Leaves, a book of proverbs and philosophy written by an anonymous ranger and devotee of Fenmarel Mestarine, The Lone Wolf.

As his portfolio focused on outcasts and solitude, The Lone Wolf naturally became Pearline's patron as well. She maintained a small, hidden shrine in the thickest brush near the stables. She spent the rest of her free time on “adventures” with Imoen or practicing with her staff and sling. Someday, the walls of Candlekeep would be behind her and the rest of the world would be in front. She would be ready when that day came.

Name: Pearline. Long story short, this is the name of a character from a movie loosely tied to this character concept.

Gender: Female. As always, killing romance whenever I can.

I'll have Jaheira (and possibly Aerie) in this party, but not Anomen (for long).

Class: Cleric/Ranger. Probably my favorite multi. Some might say the druid spell access is cheese, but it pales in comparison to the “legit” Kensages, Kensai-Thieves, and just mages in general. In BG2, I'll be adding on the Stalker kit as it supports the concept. Technically, the game doesn't allow it, but I suspect that's just an engine limitation. Also, tabletop 2nd edition D&D would allow kits on multi-class characters, so I'm fine with that.

Race: Half-Elf. It's my only choice, but it works. Fenmarel is more of an Elven (particularly wild elf) deity. However, half-elf works just as well. Fenmarel is also the patron of outcasts and elves separated from their homelands. I could see this character buying into that.

Alignment: Chaotic Good. Clerics of Fenmarel can only be CG, CN, CE, or TN. Of those, rangers can only be CG. CG gives me a lot more freedom with roleplay and dialogue.

Abilities: If I'm ever just rolling a character, as opposed to doing a particular challenge build, I usually set myself a limit of 30 seconds to a minute for rolling. Thanks to the ranger's high ability requirements, it only took about 10 seconds to roll this one up and I even tossed three extra points for which I had no use. Her average Intelligence is partly why she was a mediocre student. Her Charisma puts her at a penalty without having the villagers throwing rocks at her. Although, Noober's Charisma is 9 and people threw rocks at him, so I guess Pearline has just been lucky.

Proficiencies: Blunt Weapons ++ (staff), and Missile Weapons ++ (sling). This is all she will use for the whole game, I expect. Staves are the best backstabbing weapons when she takes the stalker kit. Slings are her only ranged option. She will pick up two pips along the way and will be forced to put them into spiked weapons. However, they will be moved to Two Handed Weapon when she respecs in BG2. Jah will also have staves (and spears, later), but there are plenty to go around. Plus, this party will likely end up being a little front line heavy. Having a couple of people on reach weapons will only help keep the battlefield from getting too crowded.

Racial Enemy: Ogre. I would have preferred being consistent the whole way, as I will be switching to Demonic/Fell in BG2, but it's not an option here.

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JustKneller · Mar 24, 2024

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Episode One: Be Careful What You Wish For

“Tether even a roasted chicken.” -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

Pearline had a pouch of gold from her father to prepare for a journey. The purse had an unnecessary weight. She knew not where they were going, but did not really care. Gold has no value when you hold it, only when you let it go.

She needed outfitting. Winthrop's opening price was exorbitant for studded leather, a helmet, a sling, and some stones. The human was just winding her up. That much was always free.

She preferred the company of elves over humans. Their timeless nature paralleled the eternity her life felt like in Candlekeep. She did not feel truly accepted by elves, either. She was paid handsomely to be on her way.

Oghma was the patron of Candlekeep. He protected the books and those who read them. Pearline revered the Lone Wolf, patron of outcasts and lost elves. She had no business here and kept walking.

Phlydia's absentmindedness hid a book by the stables. She surely missed the other secret. Pearline hid her shrine to Fenmarel Mestarine here. Phlydia worshiped books instead.

What could a mage teach Pearline about staff fighting? Even with an archer in an ambush, this was no contest. The two went on their way and they took their lesson with them. Pearline had struck before they could find their wits.

Not even the Dwarf gave her due credit. They both were outsiders, but still he condescended. He lost five gold and some of Pearline's respect. She killed his rats for him.

Pearline practiced alone with her staff every day. The Watchers would teach her nothing, but she still learned from watching. There was nobody in the bunkhouse who would miss her. Pearline had no friends among the guard.

It did not matter if Pearline tried to do the right thing. Her help was taken for granted. The Watchers would be grateful soon. They were about to be rid of her.

Imoen was one of two humans Pearline could trust. She offered to take her friend along. The human balked, seeming to know more. Pearline would miss her partner in crime.

Gorion waited impatiently at the library steps. Pearline considered asking questions. Quietly, she was ready to depart. Gorion never could answer the important questions, anyway.

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JustKneller · Mar 24, 2024

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Episode Two: The Road Less Taken

"Although this may be a most difficult thing, if one will do it, it can be done. There is nothing that one should suppose cannot be done." -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

The pair traveled along a wooded path they created as they went. There should have been none others on this road. They still met with those that hunted them, or at least Pearline. Gorion's final wishes were for Pearline to run and so she did.

Imoen had stolen an exit in the night. This would not do for Pearline. The human knew nothing of the risks. Then again, neither did Pearline.

Gorion's body was all that was left behind from the battle. The enemy vanished as mysteriously as they appeared. This surely was not what her father intended. Pearline left his remains to be consumed by nature, but gave Gorion a prayer to take with him.

There was a letter on Gorion echoing his instruction to go to the Friendly Arm Inn. Pearline knew nothing of Khalid and Jaheira, nor of the “E” who wrote the letter. Perhaps she would seek them out. However, she needed to bring Imoen to safety, first.

Pearline brought Imoen back to her home. While Candlekeep was no place for Pearline, Imoen could have a life there. They found the gates were a one way exit. Pearline hoped that Imoen's life was not now forfeit.

The old man asked prying questions. He nudged them towards the Friendly Arm Inn. This was the second odd encounter in as many nights. Pearline had no answers for the stranger, only misgivings.

Pearline wandered the forest. Her direction was yet to be set. She believed that the forest would provide protection. She was right.

Pearline's father, the letter, and the old man all pointed north to the Friendly Arm Inn. Had her enemy saw these signs as well? Pearline decided they would go south. It was a harder road, but she would not risk their lives on a trap.

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JustKneller · Mar 24, 2024

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Episode Three: Just Passing Through

“Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction. Other than continuing to exert yourself, enter into nothing else, but go to the extent of living single thought by single thought.” -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

Pearline envisioned living off the land sheltered under a forest canopy. The only common thread between the library and the wilderness was that books were made of trees. In the rustic town of Beregost, many useful things could be found in the open. This would be a stepping stone.

Beregost was nothing like Candlekeep. The two women kept a close eye on their coffers. At home, Firebead was looking for a new book. For three hundred gold, he would have it.

Good thing these easter eggs are in there. I spent it all identifying items before leaving Beregost: Two rings of protection, two belts from the ogre, the boots of stealth, and Silke's staff all cost exactly 600 gold to identify.

A villager was missing her husband. The duo was asked to check the southern roads for a messenger. Two ogrillons had halfling for dinner. It was their last meal.

Silke was not the most reputable employer. She thought Pearline and Imoen would make great pawns. Silke's staff was of high quality and enchanted. Pearline took it as a toll for her deception.

Pearline and Imoen wandered the woods south of town. There was no job, just listless exploration. A hobgoblin's boots silenced his steps. Was it ironic or just an unfortunate coincidence that he did not hear Pearline coming?

They took a job with Kagain despite his unpleasantness. His avarice was not the most off-putting thing about him. The body of Entar Silvershield's son was found near a ransacked caravan. It was all the reason they needed to part ways.

Pearline needed time to think about their course. She decided to go to a tavern and mull over a pint. A bounty hunter found his last mark. Pearline decided it was time to leave town.

This can be a tough fight to do right at level 1, doubly so since it's just the two of them and I'm keeping Pearline in leathers. Even though she's not a stalker, yet, I'm playing her that way in the first game. Aside from praying to RNGesus, the odds are heavily stacked against her unless she can successfully command Karlat on that first round. Then, she can protect from evil and get a whack in while Imoen pelts him with arrows. This softens him up enough to make the rest of the fight more viable. On the second time around, the command spell worked. Another option would have been to kite him around the tavern while Imoen attacks from afar. But, that's a little hokey and there's a decent chance that Imoen can pull his aggro if Pearline isn't attacking. Pearline also could have just chugged potions while (mostly) Imoen attacked, but it could have the same problem with the aggro, and it's also an expensive way to win such a small fight.

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JustKneller · Mar 25, 2024

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Episode Four: A New Hope

“In the highest level a man has the look of knowing nothing.” -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

They camped while they wandered south. A bed of leaves felt different than a bed of feathers. Had her enemy sent agents to every settlement? Pearline grew more comfortable sleeping under the stars.

Traveling by foot overland was much different than traveling by atlas in the library. The only pitfalls with the latter were papercuts. The Sword Coast may be going to war with Amn. Pearline did not intend to travel as far as an Amnish settlement.

Every village has an idiot. Nashkel was no exception. Pearline counted the stones in her pouch. She decided to save them for more dire circumstances.

For curiosity's sake, Pearline circled the town unseen to see if there was anything of interest. She passed through shadows avoiding the town's heavy guard. A man who was clearly not Amnish was conversing with a rodent. Rangers sometimes have interesting companions.

Some rangers had fierce companions like wolves or bears, but Minsc traveled with a hamster. Some rangers wore light armor to quiety slip through shadows, but Minsc had a strange set of plate mail. Pearline took off her helmet. Then she gave it to Minsc who clearly needed it more.

Subtlety was not Minsc's strong suit. He said he wanted evil to see him coming so it could regret its evil choices. A village of xvarts went about their daily lives. They saw Minsc coming.

Minsc continued to barrel through the wilderness. His path was conspicuous and direct. Discretion is the better part of valor. An ogre berserker taught Minsc this lesson.

I've never had Minsc kick the bucket on the way to the Gnoll Stronghold. I had to bring him all the way back to the Beregost temple to raise him. I was worried this would run out his quest timer, but it all worked out.

Gorion visited in a dream. He encouraged Pearline to take the unexpected path. A new healing ability manifested for her. Was Gorion helping from the beyond?

Gnolls incompetently guarded the stronghold. They argued over their plans for the prisoner. The stronghold was old and housed many residents over the years. As Pearline left the now empty fortress to adventure with new companions, she wondered who would move in next.

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JustKneller · Mar 27, 2024

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Episode Five: Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

"Life is truly a short affair. It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like." -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

Dynheir's imprisonment left her with minimal magical resources. The party would need to see to this before travel. Thalantyr the Conjurer disliked people possibly more than Pearline. Perhaps that is why he had few customers and a sizable inventory.

Pearline noticed the party was getting increasingly more human. While the companions were pleasant, it was still making her uncomfortable. Kivan was what Pearline thought of when she thought of a ranger. The elf was a welcome addition to the party.

I picked up Kivan and he was level 4. I happened to pass through his spellbook. He was one first level slot available, but no spells. That's odd.

A bear companion provides extra muscle. A horse companion makes for fast travel. A water opal hid in a grassy trove. Only a giant miniaturized space hamster companion could find it.

It is probably no surprise that a ghost walks the Ulcaster ruins. This one was waiting for one last tome from the school's lower level. Pearline though about Candlekeep for the first time since she left. There was only one book she missed as well.

Pearline figured there were other bounty hunters out there. She did not expect they would start traveling in teams, though. But, perhaps to the Lone Wolf's dismay, Pearline now had a team of her own. Her team was better than theirs.

Firewine was a much longer trek than Ulcaster. The party did not want to arrive tired. The halfling village of Gullykin was along the way. It was closer to the ruins than the party expected.

The Mayor has asked the party to clear the ruins for the town. He pointed to the party to a secret tunnel in the winery. The companions took respite in the town and casually socialized with the smallfolk. Secrets do not often travel alone.

So, this was the halfling's partner in crime. The ogre mage used the kobold attacks as bait for adventurers so it could slay them for their valuables. The companions obliged to the bait. But, they left with their valuables.

I couldn't get my silence spell off before Lendarn chucked a Lightning bolt. And, it rebounded before I could get out of the way. Not to mention Kivan managed to get gibbed in the process as well. I'll raise companions when I can, but when I can't, it's a reload. Oi, and I had another reload right after that, but I'm not counting it because it was due to a glitch. My spellcasters were locked in casting animation without actually casting anything. And then Lendarn LB'd the party again. The next time around, casting Silence from outside the fog of war (which didn't work anyway), then following immediately with a fireball gave the party the start it needed.

A kobold commando came up behind us while making our way to the Firewine ghosts. I tried to put people in between to take the heat off her, but the little bastard was determined and managed to take her down. It took 600 gp to bring her back.

The companions also explored the surface of Firewine. There likely were reminant forces of the ogre patrolling. An unarmored swordsman wandered near the bridge. He was also looking for a fight.

Really, Pearline was just trying to help. However, she did not have much of a way with words. She also had no love for ogres. What an unfortunate coincidence.

I suspected there was some kind of weird bug happening when it seemed like arrows were flying sideways. I could have sworn I saw birds doing the same. But, this was the first time since installing for these runs that I used a wand of fire for scorcher. Yup, definitely a bug. I tweaked with some settings (the mirror rendering one) and hopefully fixed it now.

The Ulcaster school was more of a nest than a dungeon. Firewine was just an monster's lair. Minsc and Dynaheir sought a real challenge for their dajemma (even though the game spells it incorrectly as “dejemma”). The tower exceed their abilities, so they left it for another day.

This was a long shot at this point. I was hoping that if I could clear the top of the tower, I would squeeze a little more thieving out of Imoen before she dualed. We ended up having to run from the battle horrors. Imoen snuck in and cleared the traps, though. I may come back later with Imoen as a mage. There's good xp, even with just the above ground portions of the tower.

Seeing Imoen's experience made me think of this. Imoen is getting close to level 6, which is largely why I'm rushing these dungeons. I doubt that there's 340kxp left in the various outdoor areas. As such, I'll still probably need to pick up Safana. Maybe I can RP a reasons to farm the Flesh Golem cave. We'll see.

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JustKneller · Apr 1, 2024

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Episode Six: Into the Wild

“There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment.” -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

The companions reached their limits with dungeon delving. Surely, there were other exploits to be had. Three rangers were in the party. Exploring the wilds might find them bandits and other opportunities.

The companions were far more at home in the forest than dank dungeons. The Larswood was dense and offered many places to hide. Despite their comfort, rest was not easy to find. Bandits seem to grow on bushes.

The drow was far from home. So was the guard that was tracking her. Fenmarel disliked drow, but took pity on outcasts. Did Pearline make the right choice?

It was nothing personal. Pearline considered the matter carefully. Two clerics was one too many. Perhaps she could bond with another outcast.

Viconia is actually one of my favorite characters, and easily my favorite character that I never use. The evil alignment thing is just a headache, and too many other companions will eventually kill her (Ajantis, Kivan, Keldorn, and Valygar). I've toyed with an idea for a Bhaalspawn's Angels party (including Jah, Aerie, and Viconia). That's a lot of divine power, though. Not sure what class GW would be. But, I'd definitely still play female. I don't want the romances, I just like the meta of it.

The gods are fickle, for sure, doubly so for the evil ones. Who is to say who was in the wrong? But only one side lied to Pearline. That knocked the coin off its edge.

Were Minsc's claims about Boo true? He certainly was no ordinary rodent. Once again, he found a hidden treasure. True or not, he earned his place among the companions.

Can't do an SSLP without my favorite easter egg.

Some of the Amnish had more animosity to people from the Sword Coast. Sendai was clearly one of those people. Bears had no political affiliation. But this one was partial to Pearline.

I got this one on the first time, but I would have reloaded if I needed to. Poor Melicamp.

Magic is not for the faint of heart. Nor is it for the reckless. Why did the chicken cross the road? Maybe there was a wolf.

So here we are. Imoen at 20kxp and all I pretty much have left are the coastal outdoor areas, ToSC, and the MQ. There's no way for her to get her levels back before DT. I thought about this, and I think the only time I pulled that off was when I attempted a family-only run, so it was just the two of us. I guess Safana will be joining us.

I've played this game many times since the beginning, but I never previously happened to have a random encounter on the coast. After however many years of this game, this is actually my first time seeing this map.

The pirates treasure was a fortuous find. But, was the pirate that stashed it already dead. Who brought the flesh golems? Dangers abound.

The treasure hunter was seeking that which was already (just) found. She lost not a stride in her step before making another proposition. The party was much more seasoned now. They would revisit Durlag's Tower.

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BelgarathMTH · Apr 1, 2024

Since my current game, Lord of the Rings Online is down indefinitely, reading that last post is tempting me to go back and work on my OG cleric-mage run today. It's a toss-up between that and giving Guild Wars 2 another chance to hook me. Regardless, great write-up. There's just some je ne sais quoi about OG BG that I've never found in another game.

JustKneller · Apr 1, 2024

BelgarathMTH said:
It's a toss-up between that and giving Guild Wars 2 another chance to hook me.

Well, you can probably guess which way I'd vote on that one.

JustKneller · Apr 5, 2024

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Episode Seven: Once More Unto the Breach

“If one is but secure at the foundation, he will not be pained by departure from minor details or affairs that are contrary to expectation. But in the end, the details of a matter are important. The right and wrong of one's way of doing things are found in trivial matters.” -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

Safana recommended a trip to Ulgoth's Beard for lore on the tower. The inn's shop also had some useful trinkets. A dwarf was seeking a missing dagger. It seemed a simple enough task.

And I'm calling bullshit on this one. Like, I don't really judge people who cheese the game because the game is giving enemies rule-breaking abilities like infinite duration MI and zero cast shadow doors. At this stage of the game, there's no way to get a hit on the guy (and I already blew my one dispel on the first fight in here). All it took was a single confusion spell from Garan (which I believe has no protection in the first game aside from the greenstone amulet) and the ankhegs tore Pearline apart with the rest of the party to follow. This is the straw that broke the camel's back for me and I'm letting the party cheese rest from now on.

The ice island was a gauntlet of mad mages. At the end of it, no surprise, another mad mage. Pearline wondered how the polar bears felt about these interlopers. Apparently, they were happy to help get their island back.

Minsc has really been whiffing lately.

The upper levels of the tower were a simple enough affair. The party was prepared for basilisks and ghasts. A succubus was an unexpected challenge. Her staff-spear made for a great reward, though.

The big debate now is which staff. Kirinhale's staff does a little more damage, but piercing is the worst damage in the game. The+3 staff in UB does a little less damage, but consistently.

This is one of many traps that Safana can't see/disarm even with a potion. I usually have to double down with her in the early levels. Imoen is almost back, though, and she'll take over. But, I'll keep Safana around because Imoen only has 50 in locks.

Honestly, another kinda BS fight. Avarice getting a zero speed cloudkill, whatever, it's just damage and I can even use it. However, someone (and I don't know who) is getting off some kind of hold spell. I didn't count the extra reloads because I tested this with Pearline to really figure this one out. As soon as I talk to Love, I pause and stealth before it hulks out. I then go to the other corner with Avarice. The idea is to come out of stealth to get the attention of Fear, Avarice, and Pride, and then immediately use the Sandthief's ring to draw them into Avarice's cloudkill. However, I can't even activate the ring before something holds me. Considering the ring has a casting time of 2 and the hold spells have casting times of minimally 3, I should actually be able to get it off, but I apparently can't. They probably have cheaty dev rings, so it doesn't really matter who it is because I wouldn't be able to out-cast them anyway. In any event, I ended up beating this one by summoning some wolves and sending them to where Avarice would spawn, then doing my stealth trick with Love. They took the bait, but nobody died from the cloudkill. Instead it just softened them up, then I lured them one at a time and finished them off. Does it count as strategy if I rely on meta? It feels like a cheap win to me.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand, we're back.

I couldn't be arsed to deal with the arushikashika or whatever the hell they are called. Just invisibled in, grabbed the goods, and invisibled out.

Dire consequences awaited those who did not watch their step. Move carefully, or be smote. The party had plenty of invisibility and lightning protection. And so, they made their own rules.

Finally every puzzle was solved. Every trap was disarmed. There was a demon knight below. Was this Durlag's real adversary?

Safana decided to take her leave. There was naught left for her to do here. She looked to the stairs to the demon knight's lair. She was a treasure hunter, not a demon hunter.

This seemed like a story-appropriate point to part ways. It fits her character.

JustKneller · Apr 7, 2024

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Episode Eight: Big Bad Evil Guys

“No matter if the enemy has thousands of men, there is fulfillment in simply standing them off and being determined to cut them all down, starting from one end.” -- In the Shadows of the Leaves

This is really the tail end of the last episode, but it exceeded post length.

Plan A: Turn everyone invisible, spread them out around the arena, keep the DK occupied with summons, ranged attacks for everyone else.
Failed: DK kept going at Minsc with Fireballs and gibbed him
Plan B: Same as Plan A, but give Minsc some fire protection
Failed: Even though Minsc triggered the dialogue, the DK went for where I had Imoen and Dynaheir and gibbed them with a fireball. I think that DK is ignoring summons and going after the first actual character it sees. When it went for the summons, it saw the mages.
Plan C: Forget invisibility. Keep everyone to the edge out of sight and make sure Minsc (protected from fire) is the first one in. Send summons with him. Hope for the best.
Failed: Pearline took the fireball this time. Killed in one shot. Not sure how DK even saw her.
Plan D: Try again, be more aggressive with Minsc this time.
Success: Minsc finally caught the aggro. The DK's Fireball was blocked by his 100% FR. DK cast DM, but only on the summons. This kept the FB from harming Minsc, which kept his HP high enough to survive PW:K, but not PW:S. Still, DK was tied up with summons and never got Minsc in melee. All's well that ends well. Zero damage taken by anyone (except summons, of course).

I actually had two reloads here, but I'm only counting one. The other was a bug. In the first one, Kivan was knocked down to less than -10, but he didn't gib and his portrait was just greyed out (not removed), so I thought I could raise him. I guess not with the -10 HP. The same thing happened the second time around with Minsc. However, he was just knocked down to 0. He should have been raise-able, but the game wouldn't let me. So, I just reloaded and everyone survived this time. This is one of many bugs I'm finding running BG1 classic on newer hardware. Fortunately, I'm nearly done the BG1 part of the run.

After DT, this next bit was nothing. I didn't even need a reload. I sent someone into Shandalar's house to trigger the upstairs dialogue and then ran out. They didn't follow. I turned everyone invisible and went back in. The cultists were all clustered by the door. So, we went to the back of the room and launched two fireballs and a skull trap. There wasn't much left to mop up after that. Then, Minsc went downstairs (with a mirror eyes potion going), triggered that dialogue, ran to the far end of the room, and drank an invisibility potion. The priestess and demon followed. The rest descended and Pearline/Kivan worked through the cultists with ranged attacks. Minsc then attacked the demon (to break invisibility and pull aggro) with everyone else rushing in to help. Kivan was the only one (at 6APR with a potion of quickness) on the priestess to interrupt her spellcasting. The mages pelted the demon with chromatic orb until a stun took, while Minsc and Pearline were hacking away. Pearline actually caught a death gaze (I didn't protect her, figuring Minsc secured aggro and Pearline had reach with a staff), but the demon and priestess went down so fast that I had plenty of time for a dispel. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

A most grand adventure was now complete. It seemed fitting to punctuate it with a round of libations. Where would they go next? Pearline looked toward Amn and Athkatla.

I feel bad. Look at Bjornin over there leaning on his crutch checking us out. I should have invited him for a drink.

Minsc and Dynaheir were seeking adventure wherever it could be found. Imoen would follow Pearline anywhere. Kivan still had business with bandits on the Sword Coast. He would not be joining them on their journey.

<next episode>

JustKneller · Apr 11, 2024

<table of contents>
<previous episode>

Episode Nine: Just When I Thought I Was Out

Among the maxims on Lord Neverember's wall there was this one: "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly." Master Itharr commented, “Matters of small concern should be treated seriously”. -- In the Shadow of the Leaves

So, I'm finally starting the actual main quest and it only took nine episodes to get here. Aside from Brage, BG city, and WW Isle, there's only the MQ left. If I'm being honest, I kinda wished I was semi-soling with just Imoen, but I owe this to the canon party.

None knew the way to Athkatla. They only knew they needed to cross the Cloud Peaks. Boo finds another lost treasure. But are they on the right track?

A sick man needed help. The companions would need to backtrack a week north. Pearline had not thought about the Friendly Arm Inn since she first set on this course. They would need to go there now.

The enemy had left an emissary at the inn. It would seem the hunt is still on. But Pearline had slain a demon knight. The hunters knew not what they were in for.

It would appear that Gorion's friends had continued to check in occasionally at the inn. One was a stubborn half-elf who revered nature. Pearline could see why Gorion chose them. She liked them already.

Boo scampered off on their way out of town. Minsc chased the hamster while the rest of the companions followed. There are many hidden treasures on the Sword Coast. Boo found yet another.

The captain of the local guard murdered his family and fled. The ore from the mine is coming out tainted. Pearline thought that murderers were more pressing than merchants. So, they searched for the captain first.

Pearline's enemy thought to look as far as Amn. Another of his hunters was waiting at the inn. Everyone slept well that night. Some, more soundly than others.

The captain was found amongst some wreckage. There was still hope to bring him back alive. The answer lay in death. Minsc solved this riddle.

It was now midsummer on the Sword Coast. The days were warm and dry. This tree looked uncharacteristically frosty. Boo found another treasure.

The sculptor worked feverishly. He cared little for his bounty. None cross Greywolf and live. At least, not until now.

The half-orc was poisoning the ore. Yet, he was just a pawn. Athkatla would have to wait. There is more work to do here.

<next episode>

JustKneller · Apr 17, 2024

I gotta be honest. I don't know how people do it. I've kinda been slacking off on the SSLP side of things. I've since run through the bandit camp, cloakwood, and just entered the city. However, my play journaling has fallen by the wayside. I think it's because, despite this being the main quest, it's not a terribly interesting part of the game. Because I finished DT first and everyone is close to the xp cap at this point, I'm just steamrolling through. I'm strongly leaning towards (eventually) getting Minsc and Jah out of Irenicus' dungeon and then dropping them in town and just muddling through with only Pearline and Yoshi/Imoen. The rest of the party can be a liability, and the pathing in tight maps is just annoying. However, I also know it will get a little boring without some pals around, so who knows...

BelgarathMTH · Apr 18, 2024

Don't feel bad about it, @JustKneller . I also started my share of journaled runs with big plans and wound up moving from big write-ups to brief summaries of main events after I got tired of how much work it was, between writing and also constantly taking and curating screen shots.

JustKneller · Apr 18, 2024

@BelgarathMTH Yeah, I'm going to do an interlude post after I finish the main game and start fresh for BG2. You might have noticed that between Maven, Beatrix, and Pearline, I've been paring down my summaries. I'm not even sure what to write about. Everyone knows the story and there's a lot of time where you're exploring assorted (not the main quest) content because it's just there and you need the XP. Framing it all as a character narrative feels like a bit of a reach after a while. As for screenshots, I'm not even sure what the value is there. It breaks up the text, but it's an almost arbitrary snippet of the scenario at hand.

I have an idea for a RP run as a solo F/T without UAI (and a couple other hooks) that I'll do after this and a couple other things. I think that run might be interesting, less from an RP angle, and more from a tactical angle (never did this game without a bunch of spellcasters, for starters). But, even then, I'm not seeing the need for more than minimal screenshots.

Antimatter · Apr 19, 2024

Speaking from my personal experience, it's much easier to play than to write reports about it (even for most hardcore games). So I always admire people who can consistently post stories about their playthroughs. However, don't ever feel pressured to "report". Whatever you share, is already good because we learn something.

JustKneller · Apr 19, 2024

Like, the idea of it is solid. I would much rather read a SSLP then watch an AP on YT. You can cover so much more in some much less time with a SSLP. I also remember reading Elmonster's run a long time ago and thought it was a cool read (and he doesn't even break it up with screenshots). I think the fact that it's a challenge run helped make it work. I mean, there's no real reason to read the "story" of BG told through the perspective of a character, but seeing how a setup that seems fragile can make it through the game provides something of interest. At least, that's what I'm thinking...

Selerel · Apr 20, 2024

I've been slowing writing BG playthroughs for several years now. I have a few completed ones:

Baldur's Gate Saga RP Playthrough - Chaotic Evil Human Berserker [COMPLETE]

Hello everyone, For about the past year or so, I've been posting my Roleplay playthroughs on the Beamdog forums. I was actually keeping the roleplay "journaling" to myself, for posterity's sake, until I discovered the Challenges and Playthroughs board and started posting my playthroughs there...

tavernrpg.com

Beamdog Forums - BGEE ROLEPLAYthrough - NG Wizard Slayer>Thief [Minimal Metagaming/Reloads] (Complete)

Hello, I'm here posting another thread for a different character's playthrough, seeing how I just finished my Avenger run.

forums.beamdog.com

Beamdog Forums - BGEE ROLEPLAYthrough - NE Half-Elf Avenger [Minimal Metagaming/Reloads] (Complete)

Hello, I was posting my narrative playthrough of my CE Berserker in another thread, buuuut I actually switch characters every 3 months or so.

forums.beamdog.com

I'm not sure what keeps me going. I've played BG for 20+ years, but the real note-taking and journalling has just started in the past 5-6 years. I'm not sure it meets the definition of SSLP, as I learned about that term later on, but I know it's very similar in concept. I first started just keeping notes to myself so I can remember to have a "diversified" playthrough each time, mostly with what companions I'm picking. Out of that, it grew into roleplaying different characters to kind of unpredictably "randomize" the playthough, butterfly-effect style, based on some simple "seed" character elements, in-game RP decisions, and minimal reloading. I discovered for me personally this was a Rod of Replayability. I started posting the stories, my notes slowly became legible and then slowly transformed into something prose-like.

I've mentioned it here before, for some reason my brain loves that s***. Churning out infinite variety from within a structured set of rules. Jam bands (same song improvised different every time) and watching sports (same rules everytime but no two games will ever repeat) are two of my other favorite hobbies, which fit the same mold.

Why, and/or how, do I keep going? I don't know. I do it very slowly and my playthroughs take years. I pick up new campaigns while shelving others for long periods of time. If I HAD more time to play, I probably would, but I likely would get burnt out quickly and then step away for a few years (which has happened many times!). I really don't play other computer games. Just Baldur's Gate. (I'll get like every fourth Call of Duty and play that on Playstation, but only for a couple months usually.) So I wouldn't even call myself a gamer necessarily. Also, I'm an aspiriting writer, so all the time spent RP-journalling...if it starts feeling like a slog, I tell myself it's actually good practice for learning how to write, and in fact possibly MORE worth my time than the actual playing.

This is all me personally. I might just have a unique combination of traits where I can look myself in the mirror and say "yeah I'll keep playing BG for the rest of my life." I actually have 73 different unique character picked out to play. 3 campaigns completed, 4 currently underway. So, yeah, probably a lifetime thing for me haha.

Lastly, the screenshots used to kill me. THAT was an admin slog that actually gave me burnout despite all else I like about doing this. So recently I have a 5-screenshot limit on all posts, that has helped get from the play session to the final post much more enjoyable.

Third Time's a Charm: Pearline Attempts a Full Classic Trilogy Baldur's Gate Run

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